WCF Web API vs ASP.NET MVC JSON web services

Question

What is the advantage of using new WCF Web API over ASP.NET MVC 3 to expose a lightweight JSON Web service layer? I like Web API in many ways, but the drawback is that it doesnt work on mono, while MVC 3 does. What are the major differences between the two approaches?

Solution 1

It is recognized by Microsoft, that there is some overlap between the two products. However, they do have a different focus:

• If you are building a web site that consumes JSON from your web service then MVC is probably the best choice.

• If you are building an API intended to be consumed by a variety of third party clients then WCF Web API is the best choice.

My own personal reasons include the fact that with WCF Web API means I can self-host in a Windows service, and I can avoid ASP.NET, web.config and Cassini :-)

Solution 2

Updated 6/24/14 by request:

What is now ASP.NET Web API (formerly WCF Web API) and ASP.NET MVC will formally merge in what is currently dubbed ASP.NET vNext (MVC 6).

http://www.asp.net/vnext/overview/aspnet-vnext/overview

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Original answer:

It was announced yesterday (2/8/2012) that the projects are formally merging. See:

http://www.c4mvc.net/meeting/?id=25

and

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/hh824721

The c4mvc link should be updated with a link to Dan Roth's presentation soon.

Solution 3

I believe this question targets new WCF Web API and because of that it is not the same as question linked as duplicate.

WCF Web API removes some limitations of current WCF Rest support but the main disadvantage of the Web API is that it is only a draft - currently preview 4. It has no support and probably it is not supposed to be used in production environment. Also any new version can introduce breaking changes or remove whole set of features available in previous version. Because of that you should use ASP.NET MVC to build lightweight JSON service layer.

Comments

[Darin Dimitrov]

possible duplicate of What is the best way to implement a RESTful architecture in .NET today?

[Darrel Miller]

Have you listened to the recent Hanselminutes with Glenn Block? This topic is discussed at length. hanselman.com/blog/…

[Darrel Miller]

It can be used in prod, but only within your own company. You can't deploy it to a customer's site.

[adrin]

The reason for this is that you can expose other formats/endpoints than HTTP/JSON? Glen Block mentioned also that WCF Web API is more intended for customers already heaving their service layer written in WCF.

[Darrel Miller]

@adrin You "can" expose other formats in ASP.NET MVC, it's just not a primary goal of ASP.NET MVC, whereas it is a primary goal of WCF Web API. It's really just an issue of focus.

[Darrel Miller]

@adrin Sure, if you are already familiar with WCF, then it will be and easier transition. The new bits retain a lot of backward compatibility with WCF REST 3.5 and 4.

[IsmailS]

I see you posting a lot on REST here at SO. Can you please throw some light on OpenRasta if you have looked at it? Like what is the current state of the project and how is it for creating RESTful service on .NET stack?

[Darrel Miller]

@Ismail I have only looked at OpenRasta a bit but @Serialseb knows what he is doing and is extremely smart. OpenRasta is opinionated and if those opinions match yours, then it will be awesome. If they don't you then you will have to look under the covers as it is very configurable. However, you will have a reasonable learning curve to be able to change its default opinions.

[Chris Nevill]

The top link appears to be no longer relevant

[Joel Peltonen]

An update might be a good idea to keep this answer relevant...